Understanding cocaine sale punishment may help your defense

On behalf of Law Offices of Thomas C. Mooney posted in Drug Charges on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.

Having criminal allegations leveled against you may feel like the world has it out for you. Though some people may immediately consider you guilty of the charges, the legal system maintains your innocence until proven otherwise. Many extenuating circumstances may have led to your facing serious criminal charges, and no matter how you landed in this situation, understanding various aspects of your case can help you better decide how to move forward.

If police have brought charges for cocaine distribution or trafficking against you, gaining information on how these allegations are handled in Maryland may help you determine the most important aspects of your case to focus on. Because these charges fall into the felony category, you will undoubtedly want to ensure that you approach your case with useful knowledge.

Cocaine sale penalties

If authorities charge you with selling cocaine, you could face severe penalties if convicted. The sentencing can depend on how much of the substance was allegedly involved and whether you have prior marks on your criminal record. For instance, you could face 20 years in prison for a first offense, and if the alleged sale exceeds a certain quantity of cocaine, the judge could sentence you to at least 40 years.

If you have previous convictions for this type of offense, your penalties could double. Additionally, if you allegedly sold the drug to minors or near a school, you could also face increased punishment.

Plea bargain

Because exploring all of your legal options will likely prove beneficial, you may wonder about plea bargains. This type of strategy involves entering a guilty plea in order to gain a reduced charge or a less severe sentence. However, you may need to offer information about higher-level drug dealers in order to obtain such an offer.

If you cannot provide any useful information or authorities consider you a high-ranking dealer, you may not have the ability to utilize this route. Therefore, you may wish to focus on other areas of your criminal defense.

Legal assistance

It can prove difficult to understand every aspect of the charges brought against you. Luckily, you do not have to absorb every piece of information as you do have the option of enlisting the assistance of an experienced attorney. Your legal counsel can help you build and present a meaningful defense against the allegations and allow you to understand your legal options. Because this individual has knowledge of state laws, penalties and other important information, you may feel more at ease moving forward.

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